With nine wins in Paris, the Polish player has captivated the crowds; she didn’t lose until the final, when she was defeated by Mirra Andreeva.
Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska hopes her magical run at the French Open will serve as a positive example for other players. “I hope my story over the last few days has been inspiring for them,” said the 24-year-old after her 3-6, 2-6 loss in the Paris final to Russia’s Mirra Andreeva: “I know many, many great players who are outside the top 100.”
Chwalinska traveled to Paris for the clay-court highlight as the world No. 114. With three wins in qualifying, she earned her first spot in the French Open main draw, where the Polish player then went on a sensational run to the final with six more victories. Starting Monday, Chwalinska will be ranked 21st, and she leaves the French capital with prize money of 1.4 million euros.
“Those were definitely three unforgettable weeks for me. It was a great time,” said Chwalinska, who became only the second qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final: “Mirra was the better player today, and she deserved the win.” Nevertheless, she “obviously gave it my all. I think I can be proud of myself.”
Chwalinska needs a vacation first
After her surprising run, she now wants to “recharge her batteries” and take a break. “Even before Roland Garros, I said that I’d need a vacation after the tournament,” said Chwalinska. On grass this year, she only plans to compete at the classic Wimbledon tournament.
Despite reaching the final in Paris, her spot in the main draw at Church Road isn’t yet secure; her ranking was too low at the cutoff. A wild card, which would spare her from having to qualify again, “would be the news of the century,” said Chwalinska: “I’m not counting on it, we’ll see. I’ll take it as a challenge.”